Camouflage grouper | |
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Scientific classification | |
Domain: | Eukaryota |
Kingdom: | Animalia |
Phylum: | Chordata |
Class: | Actinopterygii |
Order: | Perciformes |
Family: | Serranidae |
Subfamily: | Epinephelinae |
Genus: | Epinephelus |
Species: | E. polyphekadion |
Binomial name | |
Epinephelus polyphekadion (Bleeker, 1849) | |
Synonyms [2] | |
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The camouflage grouper (Epinephelus polyphekadion), also known as the blue-tailed cod, camouflage rockcod, small-toothed rockcod, smooth flowery rock-cod, snout-spot grouper or snout-spot rock-cod, is a species of marine ray-finned fish, a grouper from the subfamily Epinephelinae which is part of the family Serranidae, which also includes the anthias and sea basses. It has a wide Indo-Pacific distribution where it is associated with reefs.
The camouflage grouper has a body which has a standard length that is 2.7 to 3.1 times its depth. The area between the eyes is flat while the dorsal profile of the head is convex. The preopercle rounded with the serrations at its corner slightly enlarged and the gill cover has a distinctly convex upper edge. [3] The dorsal fin has 11 spines and 14-15 soft rays while the anal fin contains 3 spines and 8 soft rays. [2] The fourth spine in the dorsal fin is longer than the others and the membranes between the dorsal fin spines are slightly notched. The caudal fin is rounded in shape. [3] This is a pale brown species which is covered in small dark brown spots. The upper body is whitish, with the white being broken up by large dark blotches which resemble diagonal bands. There is a dark saddle-like blotch on the upper part of the base of the caudal fin. This species is frequently misidentified, the confusion species being Epinephelus fuscoguttatus . [4] The camouflage grouper attains a maximum total length of 90 centimetres (35 in). [2]
The camouflage grouper has a wide Indo-Pacific distribution. Its range extends from the coast of East Africa from the Red Sea south to Mozambique, eastwards across the Indian Ocean where it is found around the Comoros, British Indian Ocean Territory, Mauritius and the Seychelles and east into the Pacific Ocean as far as French Polynesia. In the Pacific its range extends north to southern Japan and south as far as Australia. [1] In Australia it is found from Shark Bay and Scott Reef in Western Australia around the northern coast to One Tree Island in Queensland. It is also found around reefs and islands in the Coral Sea and the Tasman Sea. [4]
The camouflage grouper is found in lagoons and outer reefs in shallow water in areas which are rich in coral and is more numerous around islands, especially atolls. [1] It also likes to have caves and crevices in the reefs to swim through. It is normally found in small schools but it can be a solitary species. [3] It prefers areas where the water is clear. [3] This is a predatory species which preys largely on crustaceans, especially portunid crabs, and fishes, occasionally on cephalopods and gastropods. [2] It is thought to be gonochoristic and hermaphroditism is still to be demonstrated for this species. It reaches sexual maturity at around 4 years of age and can live for up to 42 years. They form spawning aggregations and individuals are known to follow regular migratory routes to reach these aggregations. [1]
The camouflage grouper was first formally described as Serranus polyphekadion in 1849 by the Dutch medical doctor, herpetologist and ichthyologist Pieter Bleeker (1819-1878) with the type locality given as Jakarta. [5]
The camouflage grouper was common in the fish markets of Zanzibar in the past. [3] It is of high value to the trade in international live reef fish in southeast Asia, the western Pacific and in areas of the Indian Ocean. Almost all fish caught are fished for at spawning aggregations. The major exporting nations are the Philippines and Indonesia. There is an important commercial fishery in southern part of the Red Sea coast of Saudi Arabia. Fishermen catch this with hook-and-line, spears and traps in Australia and Papua New Guinea. They have been produced in hatcheries but this has not yet proven to be commercially sustainable. [1]
The brownspotted grouper, also known as the brown spotted reef cod, brown-spotted rockcod, coral grouper or honeycomb cod, is a species of marine ray-finned fish, a grouper from the subfamily Epinephelinae which is part of the family Serranidae, which also includes the anthias and sea basses. It has an Indo-Pacific distribution but in the northern Indian Ocean this distribution is discontinuous. It forms part of a species complex with two closely related species in the genus Epinephelus.
The comet grouper, also known as the comet cod or dot-dash grouper, is a species of marine ray-finned fish, a grouper from the subfamily Epinephelinae which is part of the family Serranidae, which also includes the anthias and sea basses. It is a species of deep coral reefs in the Indo-Pacific region.
The smooth grouper is a species of marine ray-finned fish, a grouper from the subfamily Epinephelinae which is part of the family Serranidae, which also includes the anthias and sea basses. It is associated with reefs and is found in the western Indian Ocean.
The Hong Kong grouper is a species of marine ray-finned fish, a grouper from the subfamily Epinephelinae which is part of the family Serranidae, which also includes the anthias and sea basses. It is found in eastern and southeastern Asian waters of the Western Pacific Ocean. Its natural habitats are shallow seas and coral reefs.
The yellow grouper, also known as the banded grouper, is a species of marine ray-finned fish, a grouper from the subfamily Epinephelinae which is part of the family Serranidae, which also includes the anthias and sea basses. It is found in eastern Asian waters of the Western Pacific Ocean. Its natural habitats are shallow seas and rocky reefs.
The orange-spotted grouper, also known as the brown-spotted rockcod, estuary cod, estuary rockcod, goldspotted rockcod, greasy cod, North-west groper, orange spotted cod or blue-and-yellow grouper, is a species of marine ray-finned fish, a grouper from the subfamily Epinephelinae which is part of the family Serranidae, which also includes the anthias and sea basses. It has an Indo-Pacific distribution and is found in marine and brackish waters.
The potato grouper, also called the potato cod or potato bass, is a species of marine ray-finned fish, a grouper from the subfamily Epinephelinae which is part of the family Serranidae, which also includes the anthias and sea basses. It has a wide Indo-Pacific distribution.
The Pacific goliath grouper, also known as the Pacific itajara grouper, is a species of marine ray-finned fish, a grouper from the subfamily Epinephelinae which is part of the family Serranidae, which also includes the anthias and sea basses. It is found in the eastern Pacific Ocean where it is associated with reefs. It is related to the Atlantic goliath grouper.
The longfin grouper, also known as the longfin rockcod, bar-breasted rock-cod, Gilbert's rock-cod, honeycomb rockcod, spotted groper or wirenet cod, is a species of marine ray-finned fish, a grouper from the subfamily Epinephelinae which is part of the family Serranidae, which also includes the anthias and sea basses. It is found in the Western Pacific Ocean.
Epinephelus spilotoceps, the foursaddle grouper or spotty cod, is a species of marine ray-finned fish, a grouper from the subfamily Epinephelinae which is part of the family Serranidae, which also includes the anthias and sea basses. It is found in the Indo-Pacific region.
Epinephelus cyanopodus, the speckled blue grouper, also known as the blue maori, purple rock cod, speckled grouper or yellowfin grouper, is a species of marine ray-finned fish, a grouper from the subfamily Epinephelinae which is part of the family Serranidae, which also includes the anthias and sea basses. It is found in the Western Pacific Ocean where it occurs in corals.
Epinephelus labriformis, commonly called starry grouper or flag cabrilla is a species of marine ray-finned fish, a grouper from the subfamily Epinephelinae which is part of the family Serranidae, which also includes the anthias and sea basses. It is found in the eastern Pacific Ocean.
Cephalopholis sexmaculata, sixblotch hind, freckled cod, freckled rock-cod, sixband cod, six-banded rockcod, sixband rockcod or sixspot rockcod is a species of marine ray-finned fish, a grouper from the subfamily Epinephelinae which is in the family Serranidae which also includes the anthias and sea basses. This fish occurs throughout the Indo-Pacific region.
Epinephelus ongus, the white-streaked grouper, specklefin grouper, lace-finned rock-cod, specklefin rockcod, wavy-lined tock-cod, white-speckled grouper or white-spotted rock-cod, is a species of marine ray-finned fish, a grouper from the subfamily Epinephelinae which is part of the family Serranidae, which also includes the anthias and sea basses. It has a wide Indo-Pacific distribution and it is found in brackish waters as well as marine reefs.
Epinephelus corallicola, also known as the black-dotted cod, coral cod, coral rockcod or duskyfin grouper, is a species of marine ray-finned fish, a grouper from the subfamily Epinephelinae which is part of the family Serranidae, which also includes the anthias and sea basses. It has an Indo-Pacific distribution and is found in marine and brackish waters.
Epinephelus erythrurus, the cloudy grouper, also known as the cloudy rock cod, is a species of marine ray-finned fish, a grouper from the subfamily Epinephelinae which is part of the family Serranidae, which also includes the anthias and sea basses. It is found in marine and brackish waters in the Indo-Pacific region.
Epinephelus sexfasciatus, the sixbar grouper, sixbar rockcod or six-banded rockcod, is a species of marine ray-finned fish, a grouper from the subfamily Epinephelinae which is part of the family Serranidae, which also includes the anthias and sea basses. It is found in the Indo-Pacific region.
Epinephelus maculatus, the highfin grouper, blackfin cod or brown-spotted rock-cod, marbled rock-cod or spotted grouper, is a species of marine ray-finned fish, a grouper from the subfamily Epinephelinae which is part of the family Serranidae, which also includes the anthias and sea basses. It is found in the Indo-Pacific region.
Epinephelus rivulatus, the halfmoon grouper, halfmoon rockcod, Chinaman rockcod, Charlie court cod, green-finned rock cod, or white-dotted grouper, is a species of marine ray-finned fish, a grouper from the subfamily Epinephelinae which is part of the family Serranidae, which also includes the anthias and sea basses. It is found in the Indo-Pacific region.
Cephalopholis sonnerati, known as the tomato hind, tomato rockcod, or tomato cod, is a species of marine ray-finned fish, a grouper from the subfamily Epinephelinae which is in the family Serranidae which also includes the anthias and sea basses. It is distributed on coral reefs in the tropical Indo-Pacific. It is also sometimes called the orange-spotted cod, red coral cod, red rockcod, tomato grouper, or tomato seabass.